They have got here in different ways. Half of the six were born with their disabilities while the others suffered accidents or illness. Some have sailed since they were children, others only took to it in later life.

But all six will be looking to make history. Surprisingly, for a nation with a proud seafaring tradition and a fine Olympic record, GB's sailors have failed to win a single medal since the sport became a full Paralympic event in 2000. The class of 2012 are intending not only to win medals but to do all they can to make sure they are gold ones. "We want the gold medal," Hannah Stodel, the tactician in the Sonar keelboat, said. "We only want one medal. Any other medal would be rubbish for us. That's what gets us out of bed in the morning."

Three types of keelboat sail in the Paralympic regatta. The Sonar is a three-person boat, and two people, at least one a woman, race in the Skud-18. A single sailor of either sex competes in a tricky little boat called the 2.4mR. Up to 80 sailors will be taking part at the London 2012 regatta from 23 nations. The giants of the sport include Germany, who top the overall medal table, France, the USA, Australia and Canada. But nations not as well known for Olympic or Paralympic sailing such as Puerto Rico, Malaysia and Japan will also be represented.

Athletes have a wide range of disabilities and the boats are specially adapted to try to make sure all can compete on level terms. Some, for example, are fitted with foot pedals that control the tiller. Tilting seats or pulley systems are can be used to make sure the sailor is in the right place. Competitors in the small 2.4mR sit down low in the boat with all the controls to trim the sails and steer within arms' reach. A complex classification system based on an athlete's ability to perform tasks on the boat is designed to ensure fairness.

The Sonar trio is GB's most experienced Paralympic sailing outfit, having competed together in Athens and Beijing, finishing sixth both times. Stodel said the trio were "heartbroken" to do so poorly at Beijing and thought about going their separate ways. "We should have medalled and we didn't. We let ourselves down, we let other people down," she said.

Their "greatest" moment came when they sat down together to discuss their future and decided to stick together and campaign for London 2012. "That's more powerful for me than anything because we committed to each other," Stodel said.

Asked to described the team dynamic, Stodel comes up with "random". Born without a right forearm, she began sailing aged three on the Essex coast and became GB's first woman sailing Paralympian. John Robertson, the helm and at 40 the oldest member of the ParalympicsGB sailing team, is a former weapons technician on Harrier jump jets, who uses a wheelchair following a motorcycle accident. He also had sailed since he was a boy.

The third member of the team is Welshman Stephen Thomas, who was a keen rugby player as a young man but came to sailing after losing his legs below the knees when he contracted meningococcal septicaemia. A fierce competitor, as he lay in his hospital bed he began dreaming of taking part in the Paralympics.

In the Skud-18, Niki Birrell and Alex Rickham make a fascinating pair. Birrell, who has cerebral palsy, was an excellent able-bodied sailor, campaigning in the 470 Olympic class with his brother before concentrating on the Paralympics. Rickham was paralysed after suffering a spinal injury when she dived into shallow water in her native Jamaica. She tried sailing as part of her rehabilitation and teamed up with Birrell just months before Beijing. They came a creditable sixth place and are tipped to go better this time.

Rickham's injury means that her body's thermostat does not work properly. She typically wears five layers on top and three below, plus a balaclava. She has to be careful about how much she drinks because it is tricky for a wheelchair athlete to answer a call of nature while on board.

The sixth member of the GB team, Helena Lucas, has taken part in both Olympic and Paralympic campaigns. She was born without thumbs but became one of GB's most talented sailors and won a silver medal in the 2006 Olympic test event in Beijing in the Yngling class. "I've grown up just finding my own way to do things," Lucas, who finished seventh in Beijing, said. "I was disappointed but I think I learnt some very valuable lessons."

Of course, the regatta is not just about the GB sailors. There are many compelling characters from other nations. Such as the Israeli Sonar team, all of whom were left disabled while serving in the military. Australia's Liesl Tesch will also be worth watching in the Skud. She is a multiple Paralympian medal winner – but in basketball rather than sailing.

It will be interesting to see if the Paralympic regatta grips the imagination in the same way the Olympic one did. The Nothe spectator area, a hit during the Olympics, has been dismantled. The Paralympics regatta takes place within Portland Harbour and can be viewed (binoculars recommended) from the shore. Sporting activities, which proved popular during the Olympics, are being staged on Weymouth beach.

Though Ben Ainslie and the rest won a total of five medals at the Olympics, the team were a little disappointed to slip behind both Australia and Spain in the medals table. It may be time for their Paralympic counterparts to shine.